Courage in the line of fire: police officers commended for bravery

By
MATT FINDLAY

A FAIR COP: Sergeants Mark Hevers and Rolf Vogelsang received the commissioner’s commendation and medal for courage at the NSW Police Force local area command medals and awards presentation ceremony yesterday. Photo: MATT FINDLAY 0611mfcops3

“YOU don’t think. You just do.”

Sergeant Mark Hevers was succinct in describing his time in the firing line with the NSW Police Force, in particular, one incident in 2009.

Sergeant Hevers disregarded self-preservation in his attempts to negotiate with a suicidal male in Lucknow, in what was originally deemed a siege but later reduced to a “high-risk situation”.

Sergeant Hevers was confronted by a man holding a shortened rifle to his head and threatening to take his own life, and engaged in over an hour of one-on-one roadside negotiations, ultimately to no avail.

Yesterday Sergeant Hevers was recognised at the NSW Police Force Canobolas Local Area Command medal and award ceremony, receiving the commissioner’s commendation and medal for courage alongside colleague Sergeant Rolf Vogelsang, whose bravery was rewarded after saving five elderly residents from a house fire in Kelso in 2009.

He then fought the fire until the fire brigade arrived.

“They both thoroughly deserved to be awarded their commendations,” Canobolas Local Area Command Superintendent David Driver said.

“Mark was fantastic in the way he dealt with the situation, and cleared the area.”